Corvus Corvax
The city of Corvus Corvax is the capital of the Kenku domain. Located in the Hillwilds northwest of Nazca, the thatched dwellings have been incorporated into the grasslands and can be difficult to spot by the untrained eye. The Kenku inhabitants are a notoriously private race; little is known of the inner workings of the city to outsiders. History The seclusive nature of the Kenku inhibits precise knowledge of the history of Corvus Corvax to outsiders. To further complicate the timeline, the Kenku are known to intentionally disseminate false information to outsiders. It is known that the current location of the capital in Corvus Corvax is relatively young when compared to the more established human cities. Historians place the settlement itself as forming sometime in the early 900s under another name, with the establishment as the capital occurring c. 1012 after the razing of the former capital of Cor'Tordar at the hands of lizardmen raiders in 1002. The name Corvus Corvax was likely adopted after the relocation of the capital, given the lack of references to this settlement prior to the early 1000s. In the Kenku tongue, prefixing a sentence with Cor is a means to grab attention or to signify the importance of the phrase, similar to the commonly used interjection, "Hey!" in Common in using an exclamation point in writing. Tordar can be roughly translated to mean, "First Home" or "Primary Nest"; the name of Cor'Tordar essentially being "Important! Primary nest!". While a direct translation of "Vus" and "Vax" is not available, an exploration of their intent and use shows that "Vus" is used as a command for defensive awareness or information collection, and "Vax" is used as a command for offensive use of information gathered. As such, Corvus Corvax can be surmised to imply, "Important! Stay vigilant! Important! Use what you've discovered!", a name that would hold particular significance after such an attack on the previous capital. Geography Located in the rainshadow of the Pandor mountain range, the Hillwilds are a dry grassland and savannah. Thick razorgrass suitable to the arid environment have spread over the dunes that still trace the land. Needing considerably less water than other humanoids, the Kenku have thrived in this area due to the lack of competition and their general resourcefulness. Cityscape Given its moundbuilding society, the cityscape of Corvus Corvax is fairly unimpressive at first look. The few above-ground dwellings are thatched huts, with the dried grass decoration often being directly incorporated with the surrounding fauna. People The Kenku race is a very private race, which is exemplified by their resistance to outsiders in the capital city. Open trade and travel is not permitted for non-Kenku in Corvus Corvax. Most Kenku residents choose not to leave the boundaries of their city once they have completed their residency test. To achieve citizenship, Kenku must leave their domain and return with information or an object that brings value to their society, in a coming of age ceremony called the Rakree. If what they brought is not deemed valuable, they are branded and banished from returning to the Kenku domain. Those that have earned citizenship are granted higher levels of social standing depending on the value of the prize they presented. Those who choose not to pursue citizenship have limited privileges, such as inability to claim nest and travel freely within the city. The Kenku that have left Corvus Corvax, either through banishment, desertion, or during their Rakree, are often the only exposure Vaeros residents have to the culture of the Kenku. Without the support system of what they once called home, these Kenku expats will often resort to thievery, mercenary work, or adventuring. Additionally, these Kenku are known to spread falsities about the Kenku race and homelands in an attempt to deter visitors (as well as provide entertainment for themselves). Economy Little is known regarding the Kenku economy. There does not appear to be an analogous concept to possession in Kenku society, and the concept of thievery is not considered a social ill.